Maryam Mirzakhani, a professor of mathematics at Stanford University in California, was named the first female winner of the Fields Medal – often described as the Nobel prize for mathematics – at a ceremony in Seoul on Wednesday morning.

Mirzhakhani, 37, was among a number of women tipped for the prize in recent years and her success won immediate praise from fellow mathematicians.

"I am thrilled that this day has finally come," Sir Tim Gowers, a Fields medallist and mathematician at Cambridge University, told the Guardian. "Although women have contributed to mathematics at the highest level for a long time, this fact has not been visible to the general public. I hope that the existence of a female Fields medallist, who will surely be the first of many, will put to bed many myths about women and mathematics, and encourage more young women to think of mathematical research as a possible career."

Christiane Rousseau, vice president of the International Mathematics Union, said: "It's an extraordinary moment. Marie-Curie had Nobel prizes in physics and chemistry at the beginning of the 20th century, but in mathematics this is the first time we have a woman winning the most prestigious prize. This is a celebration for women."

Born and raised in Iran, Mirzakhani completed a PhD at Harvard in 2004. Her path into mathematics was not a given, though. As a child, her passion was not for numbers but literature. Her school in Tehran was near a street full of bookshops and because browsing was not allowed, she ended up buying a lot of random books. "I dreamed of becoming a writer," she said in an interview for Oxford University in 2008. "I never thought I would pursue mathematics before my last year in high school."

Most of the problems Mirzakhani works on involve geometric structures on surfaces and their deformations. She has a particular interest in hyperbolic planes, which can look like the edges of curly kale leaves, but may be easier to crochet than explain. According to a citation released by the International Mathematical Union, Marzakhani won the prize for her "outstanding contributions to the dynamics and geometry of Riemann surfaces and their moduli spaces".

I am delighted to notice the reference to problems that can be worked on using crochet.

Maryam Mirzakhani, a professor of mathematics at Stanford University in California, was named the first female winner of the Fields Me ...[text shortened]... .

I am delighted to notice the reference to problems that can be worked on using crochet.

I already have mentioned Maryam Mirzakhani at least twice in this forum
(25 April 2013 and 29 June 2013) to help counter ignorant Western stereotypes
about all women from Iran allegedly being very uneducated and stupid.
At the 2011 and 2012 International Mathematical Olympiads, another
young woman from Iran, Mina Dalirrooyfard, won individual gold medals.

Speaking from what I have observed, I would say that a significant reason
why many mathematically gifted young women don't keep doing mathematics
long enough to earn PhDs and do mathematical research is that the rest of
their lives tend to get in the way. I have had conversations with some women
mathematicians who regret that their realistic opportunities for marriage and
children have gone, though they don't regret their choice of academic career.
As a young student, when I was saddened by issues in my personal life,
a woman mathematician suggested that I comfort myself by attempting
a difficult mathematical problem, though I was not really in the mood for it.

By the way, these were the standings from the recently completed
2014 International Mathematical Olympiad in Cape Town, South Africa.

As usual, the top teams consist of East Asians (particularly Chinese, 16 of the
18 members of the top three teams were ethnic Chinese) and eastern Europeans.
With a few exceptions, Western white men don't excel at the International
Mathematical Olympiads.

Originally posted by RJHindsI doubt if she would have won it if she had remained in Iran.

Modern mathematical research tends to be done in collaboration, and promising
mathematicians tend to go where they are more likely to find strong collaborators.
I have no doubt that Iran's people and government are proud of her success.

Originally posted by Duchess64I already have mentioned Maryam Mirzakhani at least twice in this forum
(25 April 2013 and 29 June 2013) to help counter ignorant Western stereotypes
about all women from Iran allegedly being very uneducated and stupid.
At the 2011 and 2012 International Mathematical Olympiads, another
young woman from Iran, Mina Dalirrooyfard, won individual gold meda ...[text shortened]... th a few exceptions, Western white men don't excel at the International
Mathematical Olympiads.

Originally posted by HarrisonBergeronAmericans are Americans, it doesn't matter what they look like.

In reality, racism continues to thrive in the United States, and many US citizens
report being treated differently on account of their perceived racial appearances.

I have noticed at least several right-wing white American men here who have
apparently liked to imply that white men must be intrinsically superior in
intelligence to all other people in the United States. My point (which I know
that they resent) is that it's certainly far from true in mathematics competitions
for American students. Indeed, many white men tend to be afraid of
competing in high level events in mathematics, science, and/or engineering.

Originally posted by Duchess64In reality, racism continues to thrive in the United States, and many US citizens
report being treated differently on account of their perceived racial appearances.

I have noticed at least several right-wing white American men here who have
apparently liked to imply that white men must be intrinsically superior in
intelligence to all other people in ...[text shortened]... nd to be afraid of
competing in high level events in mathematics, science, and/or engineering.

The dumbing down of the American people via degradation of the education system combined with cultural influences that devalue intelligent inquiry is not accidental. Guess which political party stands to gain from it, or maybe it's both?

China's current state of education and their cultural values remind me of the US when we were racing the USSR to the moon. I remember the Physical Sciences Study Committee that was headed by MIT to improve the teaching of high school physics (as a student I used their textbook), and there was a similar effort for biology.

http://libraries.mit.edu/archives/exhibits/pssc/

Check out the teacher's guide examples at that site. I wonder if relativistic effects were a significant factor in the calculations of trajectories, etc. in the moon landings. (They were actually a hoax, staged in Arizona, right?)

Originally posted by JS357The dumbing down of the American people via degradation of the education system combined with cultural influences that devalue intelligent inquiry is not accidental. Guess which political party stands to gain from it, or maybe it's both?

China's current state of education and their cultural values remind me of the US when we were racing the USSR to the moo ...[text shortened]... trajectories, etc. in the moon landings. (They were actually a hoax, staged in Arizona, right?)

"The dumbing down of the American people via degradation of the education
system combined with cultural influences that devalue the intelligent inquiry..."
--JS357

Thanks to JS357 for corroborating what I also have observed.

If this question were less 'politically embarrassing' in the USA, one might
do well to wonder why American mathematics and science competitions
have been increasingly dominated by students of Asian (particularly Chinese)
heritage, who constitute only a quite small minority of the population.

By the way, at the just concluded 2014 Chess Olympiad, China (with a very
young team) has won the gold medal in the open event and the silver medal
(though a comparative disappointment) in the women's event. The future
of Chinese players in international chess seems very promising indeed.

Originally posted by Duchess64"The dumbing down of the American people via degradation of the education
system combined with cultural influences that devalue the intelligent inquiry..."
--JS357

Thanks to JS357 for corroborating what I also have observed.

If this question were less 'politically embarrassing' in the USA, one might
do well to wonder why American mathematics and ...[text shortened]... men's event. The future
of Chinese players in international chess seems very promising indeed.

Ever since the end of segregation and the integration of Blacks with Whites the US educational system has taken a hit because minority students have been given priority by the government.

Originally posted by RJHindsEver since the end of segregation and the integration of Blacks with Whites the US educational system
has taken a hit because minority students have been given priority by the government.

RJHinds (a self-described 'near genius' ) is a living example of American
'cultural influences that devalue intelligent inquiry' (to quote JS357).
Are any of the top American students in mathematics and science competitions
from Christian fundamentalist families that extol literal readings of the Bible
(like RJHinds has done) as the highest source of all knowledge?

So would RJHinds, a right-wing white American man, prefer to 'explain' the
extraordinary successes of American students of Asian (particularly Chinese)
heritage in mathematics and science competitions by blaming the US government
for allegedly giving them preferential treatment over white Americans?
Why would the US government allegedly do this to help 'Asian-Americans',
who hardly have any political power or influence in the United States?

Indeed, even Normbenign, who's also a right-wing white American man,
has conceded that US affirmative action programs rarely, if ever, benefit
any 'Asian-American' males. And there's considerable evidence that many
'Asian-American' students are afflicted by adverse discrimination *relative
to their academic merit* in admissions to at least some elite universities.
Ron Unz, a conservative white American Jew who graduated from Harvard,
has written that he estimates that *if* academic merit were the *only* criterion
for admission, then students of Asian heritage would be admitted to Harvard
at a much higher rate, perhaps more than double their current rate of admission.

Despite their traditional advantages on account of institutional racism and
sexism, American white male students today seem to find themselves
increasingly surpassed in academic performance by other kinds of students.
So there are many extremely arrogant white American men (like those in
this forum) who like to believe in their own 'natural superiority' over all
other people yet are afraid to compete on anything close to a 'level playing
field' academically against other students like those of East Asian heritage
and, yes, women (who perform better than men in many academic fields).

Originally posted by Duchess64RJHinds (a self-described 'near genius' ) is a living example of American
'cultural influences that devalue intelligent inquiry' (to quote JS357).
Are any of the top American students in mathematics and science competitions
from Christian fundamentalist families that extol literal readings of the Bible
(like RJHinds has done) as the highest source of ...[text shortened]... e of East Asian heritage
and, yes, women (who perform better than men in many academic fields).

"So there are many extremely arrogant white American men (like those in
this forum) who like to believe in their own 'natural superiority' over all
other people yet are afraid to compete on anything close to a 'level playing
field' academically against other students like those of East Asian heritage
and, yes, women (who perform better than men in many academic fields)..." ~Duchess64

Two questions if I may: a) Isn't individual achievement more nearly appropriate in comparisons of academic merit without the gratuitous intrusion and presumed necessity of a gender card? [An exceptional student in my senior high school class by the name of Ann who graduated summa cum laude became a recognized surgeon at two major New England area hospitals; Janice who became an author earned second honors; Jim who placed third inherited his father's company.] and b) To whom do you refer: "So there are many extremely arrogant white American men (like those in this forum) who like to believe in their own 'natural superiority' over all other people yet are afraid to compete on anything close to a level playing field..."?

Originally posted by Grampy Bobby"So there are many extremely arrogant white American men (like those in
this forum) who like to believe in their own 'natural superiority' over all
other people yet are afraid to compete on anything close to a 'level playing
field' academically against other students like those of East Asian heritage
and, yes, women (who perform better than men ...[text shortened]... ll other people yet are afraid to compete on anything close to a level playing field..."?

While Grampy Bobby (who's apparently a white man) refers to a 'gender card',
the fact remains (as various studies have found) that many women of
academic merit have encountered institutional sexism (sometimes known
as the 'glass ceiling' ) constraining or even excluding their advancement or
admission into many traditionally male-dominated fields. Sexist discrimination
is not something that feminists fabricate in order to make men feel bad;
it's a reality that many women have experienced in their working lives.

"People there rarely displayed overt misogyny but instead seemed to make
a habit of a more insidious type of sexism, such as dismissing a solution
proposed by me but enthusiastically agreeing with the exact same plan
when suggested by a male colleague..."
--Emily Band (24 July 2011)

I have had similar experiences. At a meeting, when I made a suggestion,
it was instantly criticized and dismissed. Later in the same meeting, when
a more powerful man made the same suggestion, it was instantly praised
and approved. He received all the credit for the brilliant 'original' concept.

Given that Grampy Bobby has not been following the Debates forum closely
over the years, I shall not attempt to review (for his 'benefit' alone) the
records of racist and/or sexist comments by many white American men here.

Originally posted by Duchess64While Grampy Bobby (who's apparently a white man) refers to a 'gender card',
the fact remains (as various studies have found) that many women of
academic merit have encountered institutional sexism (sometimes known
as the 'glass ceiling' ) constraining or even excluding their advancement or
admission into many traditionally male-dominated fields. Se ...[text shortened]... 'benefit' alone) the
records of racist and/or sexist comments by many white American men here.

Thanks. Notice that you still enjoy the repetitive use of site nicknames throughout the text of your forum replies (almost as if addressing someone in absentia or patronizing a small child) in lieu of the conventional insertion of pronouns: Originally posted by Duchess64 "While Grampy Bobby (who's apparently a white man) refers to a 'gender card', the fact remains (as various studies have found)..." "Given that Grampy Bobby has not been following the Debates forum closely..." Interesting.

Originally posted by Duchess64In reality, racism continues to thrive in the United States, and many US citizens
report being treated differently on account of their perceived racial appearances.

I have noticed at least several right-wing white American men here who have
apparently liked to imply that white men must be intrinsically superior in
intelligence to all other people in ...[text shortened]... nd to be afraid of
competing in high level events in mathematics, science, and/or engineering.

I'm just saying, 2nd place is pretty sweet. I don't care what the US citizens who achieved it look like. In fact, if big foot came 2nd in the most smelly mythical creatures competition, I'd be pretty freaking stoked about that. I'd be like, in your face chupacabra and how do you like them apples mokele-mbembe.